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Original poster

Anyone's DH/DP an MP or Candidate?

35 replies

PoliticalWife · 04/03/2013 15:19

Last month DP was selected as candidate for a constituency (which obvs I'm not going to name!).
Just wondering if any other MNs are / have been in this position. we have children and I'm slightly wondering what this is going to do to our lives and how we will juggle politics/ work/ family etc.
He's always been involved in politics, so I do have some idea, but I just know that this makes it so much more public and high profile - and will be increasingly so in the run up to 2015...
So anyone else?

OP posts:
bobsnotabuilder · 04/03/2013 15:29

DH stood in the 2001 election. We didn't know each other then so cant be much help! I know he had a very very hard time in the media/press due to the party he was selected for and the area......... In fact I think one paper ended up paying him libel damages!!!

Original poster
PoliticalWife · 04/03/2013 16:06

Urgh! That doesn't sound fun! That's one of the things I do worry about - that and having to be constantly aware that once everyone knows who we are, I mustn't yell at the kids in public! The kids are quite young, which has the advantage that they won't be reading what the press say - and I guess I'll just have to develop a think skin.
Is your DH still politically active?

OP posts:
bobsnotabuilder · 04/03/2013 16:18

No not anymore. Was until a few years ago in various positions.

Unfortunately all the crap is still available on google... yesterday's news, tomorrow's chip paper doesn't seem to apply anymore...

I was going to get involved myself but his experience totally put me off!!

I am sure you will be fine though :-) I think you just have to be so careful from no on in!

StrugglingBadly · 04/03/2013 16:32

An old school friend of mine stood in a by election in my constituency a few years ago. He didn't win but the media 'frenzy' was a sight to behold. The things written about him, twisted into something unrecognisable, were gob smacking. It can be a pretty brutal process tbh. Not something id want to go thru personally.

Original poster
PoliticalWife · 04/06/2014 22:00

Re-activating this in case anyone's DH/DP is now a cAndidate...

OP posts:
TrueGent · 05/06/2014 07:37

Good for your partner, OP. My brother was recently elected as a councillor (i.e. 2 weeks ago) and is on the list of potential candidates for Parliament - so that doesn't really count but, one day, who knows?!

I admire anyone seeking to enter politics, from any party and hate the way they are attacked in the media, supposedly on 'our' behalf. What passes for political debate in this country is very short-term and tribal, alas.

niceguy2 · 06/06/2014 15:46

Personally I think we have a shockingly poor pool of MP's to choose from and I would rather see MP pay increased to try and get a better quality of MP.

Right now it seems your regular backbenchers are overworked and underpaid (compared to similar job in the private sector). The only ones who make it to the top nowadays are the career politician's who are rich enough not to care about the money but then of course don't fully understand what your average family are going through.

I certainly wouldn't want to become an MP for what they currently get paid so I also take my hat off to your partner OP.

MuttonCadet · 06/06/2014 15:50

Over worked and underpaid? Do you know the hours that they work??? It's part time at best. Sad

Mind you, as no-one I have voted for has ever got in I'm pleased that they're fairly slack about attendance and voting.

Hassled · 06/06/2014 15:55

They are underpaid compared to what they could get in the private sector which makes the talent pool becomes more restricted - quality of candidates will reduce if it's not an attractive job.

Good luck, OP - I can't say I envy you but you're certainly going to be living in interesting times. It will be an adventure.

MuttonCadet · 06/06/2014 15:58

Most of them couldn't get jobs in the private sector Hmm (sorry not impressed by our current MP or other candidates, may just be being bitter).

niceguy2 · 06/06/2014 16:20

@Mutton. How many hours do you think an MP works?

Because according to what I've read it's averaging around 70 hours. ( Guardian link )
( BBC Link )

MuttonCadet · 06/06/2014 16:23

And that's from asking MPs.

I work 24/7 because I'm always available to answer my blackberry.

niceguy2 · 06/06/2014 16:24

Oh and that's sort of my point Mutton. A lot of good successful people right now are probably earning way more than £69k that MP's get paid. So given good, successful people are rarely stupid then a lot are probably not going to want to give up that income to be a politician with all the shit that entails. For example as above having your personal life torn apart with lies and half truths.

niceguy2 · 06/06/2014 16:25

Turn your blackberry off Mutton. Job done.

MuttonCadet · 06/06/2014 16:26

I'm paid to be available. I work in the private sector.

MuttonCadet · 06/06/2014 16:29

But your point makes no sense, look at the stats of the backbenchers when it comes to actually attending and voting in the house - they do not work anything like even 40 hours....... Even given local surgery hours.

And don't get me started on the expenses, even what is allowable is a scandal.

niceguy2 · 06/06/2014 16:30

OK, so you are not working 24x7, you are available 24x7. There's a difference. I work in the private sector too and people regularly call me outside of all hours. Doesn't matter if it's 7pm, 11pm or 3am. I've had calls at all those times. I don't even get paid for it. But then I do reserve the right to ignore my phone and pretend I never heard it.

But we're digressing now.

MuttonCadet · 06/06/2014 16:34

You shouldn't work if you're not being paid in the private sector - that's just odd Shock

niceguy2 · 06/06/2014 16:43

If I didn't they'd just offshore my job to a little indian chap who would

Original poster
PoliticalWife · 06/06/2014 20:01

My DH will be taking a pay cut if he gets elected. In fact, he spends so much time now doing political stuff (including lots of casework for people who want help) as well as campaigning -all of which is TOTALLY UNPAID with NO EXPENSES paid at all that we have far less income now than we did before he was selected.
He is available pretty much 24/7 on his blackberry- if he doesn't reply to emails within 24 hours people often complain. And this is as an unpaid candidate.

He also has to go to things like fundraising dinners and events which he had to pay for. From his own pocket.
Generally he is out at events/ meetings/ surgeries/ etc at least 4 nights a week. He works (on political stuff) all day Saturday every week, and often Sunday afternoons.
He is still doing his (self employed) paid job when (if) he has the time.
I'm sure there are some lazy MPs. But trust me, before they're elected they will have worked bloody hard to get there.

OP posts:
Original poster
PoliticalWife · 06/06/2014 20:03

And thanks true gent & nice guy.

OP posts:
poshme · 06/06/2014 20:06

Mutton you know that MPs do a lot more than just being in the House of Commons & doing surgeries don't you?

TrueGent · 06/06/2014 22:35

I've got several friends/former colleagues who are now MPs (3 Tory; 1 Labour) and one of them warned my brother that he should seek to earn as much as he can before he seeks election to Parliament because there will be little chance of so doing afterwards.

He estimated he had spent over £200k of his own money over 8 years on things that should, by rights, have been paid for out of the public purse (i.e. phone calls, stationery, taxis, travel tickets - for him and also for his constituents).

We pay MPs far too little and, as a result, we have too many posh/rich MPs and other sh*t ones that can't earn more in other roles. We need to attract the best.

Many Tory MPs would make a killing in the private sector if they were not in Parliament; some Labour MPs also. Most of the rest would starve.

Trillions · 06/06/2014 22:48

How depressing that the OP'S assumption is that MNers might be married to prospective MPs. Why not ask whether anyone on here IS one?

claig · 06/06/2014 23:23

"We need to attract the best."

That's why we are voting UKIP

"Many Tory MPs would make a killing in the private sector if they were not in Parliament; some Labour MPs also. Most of the rest would starve."

We don't want that type. We want people who care about public service more than what they can get out of it.